HYDERABAD: Do you know that water, considered the elixir of life, can have acute side-affects when taken in excess?
Hyponatremia, popularly known as over-hydration, is a condition that occurs when one consumes more water than the kidney can process and hence leads to water intoxication and a fall in the levels of blood sodium.
Technically, this means having blood sodium concentration below the required range, which is between 135 and 145 millimoles per litre. Experts warn that severe cases of Hyponatremia can lead to headache, nausea, frequent urination, fits, and can also be fatal.
The water and other solutions consumed by the human body is purified and filtered by kidneys by sieving it through millions of tubules. When a person drinks too much water in a short period of time, the kidneys cannot flush it out fast enough and the blood becomes waterlogged, explains Dr Younus Yousuf, physician at Mallareddy Hospital, Jeedimetla. “Ultimately, the water is drawn to the regions where the concentration of salt is more in the blood, leading to Dilutional Hyponatremia.” Often seen among frequent marathon runners and athletes, experts warn that it is a rare but dangerous phenomenon that is quite picking up in the country today.
“This is mostly seen in people who come from educated families and high-income groups. Going through the articles on the Internet and various health magazines, they make themselves quite aware of the various advantages of water. However, some people tend to go over board,” says Dr Guru Prasad, senior general physician at Yashoda Hospital in Somajiguda.
“Most of them work in the air-conditioned environment where the ambient water loss is less compared to the intake and this causes Dilutional Hyponatremia,” he points out. “How much is too much?” one might wonder. While norms such as drinking eight glasses of water everyday are widely followed, certified fitness instructor and Calisthenics expert Vidheer Gundlapally warns that it is not the same for all. “Mostly, it depends on the body type, the physical condition and the amount of workouts you do per day. Your body very well knows if and when it needs water. Hence, you should drink adequate amount of water when you feel dehydrated or thirsty, but not overdo it just to stick to the 8- glass schedule,” he advises.
‘Bad Posture may Cause Arthritis’
Arthritis is one of the most common orthopaedic disorders from which many middle-aged people suffer. And yet, there is an immense lack of awareness in people about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Express speaks with Dr Praveen Mereddy, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, on the symptoms, types and treatment for arthritis. Here are
excerpts:
What is arthritis?
The symptoms of pain, swelling or stiffness with limitation of joint movement. In certain serious types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, the stiffness and limitation of joint movement is worse for prolonged periods in the mornings. Occasionally, the symptoms may be acute with red, hot swollen joints. In chronic cases the joints may become deformed. The term arthritis, therefore, is non-specific. By itself it does not refer to any specific disease. It simply denotes the symptom of some joint disease.
Are arthritis and rheumatism the same?
Rheumatism is another non-specific term often used by the layman to indicate aches and pains in the joints and the related body structures (muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursae, bones and cartilages). Joints and related body structures are often given the name of locomotor system of the body. Aches and pains in any of the structures of the locomotor system, especially if chronic, are often non-specifically referred to as rheumatism. Rheumatism is, therefore, a broader term that includes arthritis, soft tissue rheumatism (myositis, bursitis, tendinitis, fibrositis, fasciitis, tenosynovitis), as well as bone-related symptoms.
How serious are these conditions?
Unfortunately, approximately 30 per cent of diseases of the joints have the potential of becoming serious life threatening systemic problems. This is especially so if the patient is a young woman with symptoms persisting for more than 6 weeks. This may be the beginning of a crippling and, occasionally, life-threatening systemic rheumatic disease. These diseases may cause complications in several other organ systems in the body. Unless diagnosed early and managed by rheumatologists, the outcome may be serious.
What is the treatment for arthritis?
As arthritis is not a single disease, treatment differs depending upon its type. However, the common goal of treatment is to keep the joints moving properly by relieving the pain and stiffness and by reducing swelling. In general, simple pain relievers like paracetamol, tramadol, and more ‘strong’ drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclophenac, naproxen, aceclofenac, piroxicam, meloxicam, and the newer drugs like celecoxib, etoricoxib) are often used for short periods, especially in acute cases, early stages and in minor forms of arthritis.
Can arthritis be prevented?
Some kinds of arthritis are preventable but others are not. Thus, the progression of osteoarthritis can be arrested with appropriate exercises, weight reduction and preventing posture and movement that worsen the disease. Similarly, as mentioned above, gout is preventable with changes in life-style. Avoiding unprotected sex prevents gonorrhoea-related arthritis and most cases of so-called ‘reactive arthritis’. Avoiding gastroenteritis (not eating at unhygienic restaurants) may also prevent ‘reactive arthritis’. In children with a definite history of rheumatic fever, avoiding crowded quarters (where there is increased chances of throat infection), and regularly taking penicillin treatment may prevent further attacks.